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The inaugural league will be held in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with six teams vying for the trophy
UAE goalkeeper batsman Vriitya Aravind. – Photos provided
Many players in the UAE dream of playing alongside the best cricketers in the world.
Those dreams will become a glorious reality when the UAE’s homegrown franchise league, DP World International League T20, kicks off on January 13.
The inaugural event will be held in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with six teams competing for the trophy.
Starting batsman Muhammad Waseem, who hit 743 in 20 T20I appearances, can’t wait to play for MI Emirates in the star-studded tournament.
“I am very happy, I am lucky to be part of such a big team. I will try my best to prove myself in the game,” Wasim said.
Waseem, 28, only started playing seriously in his native Pakistan nine years ago and now relishes the opportunity to play alongside T20 legend Kieron Pollard.
“This is a big moment for us and I can’t put it into words. I will do my best and showcase the talent of the UAE. I can’t wait to meet Kieron Pollard and play alongside him. I am with him Played in Abu Dhabi T10 as well,” he said.
Meanwhile, UAE goalkeeper and batsman Vriitya Aravind, who scored 536 runs with 12 catches and 3 strikes in 25 T20I appearances, said he always wanted to play for the MI team.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent one of the most successful cricket franchises in the world. I saw Sachin Tendulkar play for MI (in the IPL) and I wanted to represent the franchise at some point in my life, So I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to be part of MI Emirates at a young age,” says Aravind.
“I’m looking forward to playing with Nicolas Pooran because our roles as top batsman and keeper are similar. I think I’ll keep asking him questions.”
Aravind also spoke about the moment that inspired him to become a cricketer.
“I was born in India and everyone wanted to play cricket there. When India won the ICC World Cup in 2011, I was also in this country. That’s my first memory of watching the whole World Cup, and when India won, I too Celebrating it in the streets. I made up my mind that day, I want to be a cricketer and play in the World Cup,” he recalls.
The MI Emirates will take on the Sharjah Warriors in their first match of the DP World ILT20 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on January 14.
The inaugural DP World ILT20 promises to be an intense competition, with some of the greatest superstars on the planet heading to the UAE to kick off the league.
The league will be played in a 34-match format at the UAE’s world-class cricket facilities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Franchise teams consist of over 100 international players and 24 Emirati players, including Abu Dhabi Knights Group (Knight Riders Group), Desert Vipers (Lancer Capital), Dubai Capitals (GMR), Gulf Giants (Adani Sportsline) , MI UAE (Reliance Industries) and Sharjah Warriors (Capri Global).
Cricket fans all over the world can tune in to live coverage of this exciting cricket league on ZEE’s linear channels and digital platforms.
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